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Queen Catherine of Aragon
'Catherine of Aragon '''was the first wife of Henry VIII, and the mother of Princess Mary Tudor. Crowned in 1509 before divorcing Henry in 1533, Catherine was a devoted wife and mother and a pious Catholic. Henry's obsession with the beautiful Anne Boleyn was ultimately what destroyed his marriage to Catherine. After a long and hard struggle, Catherine is eventually sent away from court to live, lonely and desolate, and banned from seeing her beloved daughter, Mary. Her only friend in reach is Elizabeth Darrell, her devoted maiden who refuses to leave Catherine. During their marriage, Catherine is cheated on by Henry many times, his infidelities resulting in a son by Catherine's maid, Bessie Blount. Despite this, Catherine maintains her intense love for Henry and never calls him out on it. She confides to her maiden early in the first season that Henry blames her for being unable to produce a son. Catherine is devoted to her Catholicism above all else, with the exceptions of husband Henry and daughter Mary. In late season two, around the time Henry becomes infatuated with Jane Seymour, Catherine becomes sick and succumbs to her illness. She has hallucinations of Mary and is supported by Elizabeth Darrell. Shortly before her death, Catherine writes Henry a letter pledging her forgiveness and praying for his soul. Henry tearfully reads the letter, while Anne Boleyn is unfazed and simply states that she is indeed queen. Mary is devastated, collecting a box of her mother's things, although Anne Boleyn is executed shortly after. Mary comes to love her father's third wife, Jane Seymour, but never forgets her mother. Catherine remains Queen of England in the nation's eyes. Season One Early in the first season Catherine is introduced. Very much in love with the philandering King who also happens to be her husband, she is an extremely well-loved queen, adored by the nation, who is not only a dutiful wife but mother also. She is forced to endure the hardship of being unable to give Henry a son when he gets her maiden, Bessie Blount, pregnant. She confides in Bessie that Henry blames her for not giving him a son. Many more infidelities follow, but Catherine's affection for Henry is unwavering. Henry's illegitimate son Henry Fitzroy is born out of wedlock, and to Catherine's jealousy and anger, he appoints his bastard son heir over his legitimate daughter Mary Tudor. After meeting Anne Boleyn, Henry becomes infatuated with her, as his conscience is affected by the fact that Catherine was married to his deceased brother, Arthur. Catherine pledges that she never slept with Arthur. Henry chases Anne Boleyn, unable to shake his desire for her, until she gives in. Shortly after giving his son Henry Fitzroy many titles and lands, Henry comes to Catherine's chambers and is happily greeted by his loving wife. However, Henry bears the news that he is divorcing her. He leaves, choking on his words. Catherine sinks to the floor and cries, devastated. The whole of England continues to love and respect Catherine, despite her fall from Henry's favour. There comes to be tension between the queen and Anne Boleyn, who firmly states her belief in Henry's love for her. Catherine shuts this down and is sure Henry will choose her over Anne. At the Legatine court, Catherine appeals to Henry. She leaves him in tears, and has the support of the people as she leaves the court. A sickness breaks out and she and Mary must leave. Henry and Catherine have a good discussion during which Henry pledges his love for her, but ruins it. As the season nears its end, the two are still no closer to divorcing as Henry becomes even more infatuated with Anne Boleyn. After Wolsey is repudiated by Anne, he writes to Catherine, trying to gain her support. This secret communication is discovered, and Wolsey's fall from favour is sealed as he is charged with high treason. Wolsey then commits suicide, while Henry and Anne Boleyn have sex in a forest, unknown to Catherine. The year is 1530 at the end of the first season, therefore marking Catherine's first season appearances from 1518—1530. Season Two Catherine remains at court for the start of the second season. She continues to make Henry's shirts, unknowingly having deeply offended Anne. When Anne spots a man carrying Henry's shirt linen to Catherine, she questions it and finds out that her soon to be husband's ex wife is still making shirts. She is deeply angered and takes it up with Henry, who brushes it off. However, he later asks Catherine to stop making his shirts. Catherine initially contests this gently, and expresses her concern over a rumour that Henry has gout. She is rudely brushed aside. Henry and Anne move closer to marriage. Henry orders Catherine away from court, and bans her from seeing Mary. Catherine is banned from having visitors, but several English people visit her and express their sorrow. Henry sends several demanding messages to Catherine. She sends him a Christmas gift that he rejects. On Anne's whim, Henry demands that Catherine give up her crown jewels. Catherine refuses, but is forced to give them up to the rising queen, Anne. Catherine's condition deteriorates. She is supported only by her maid, Elizabeth Darrell, who has pledged her virginity. Despite the people at court continuing to respect Catherine, she continues to be unhappy. Catherine becomes sick, and is surrounded by several of her loyal subjects, as well as Elizabeth Darrell. She writes a letter to Henry, forgiving him and praying for his soul. She then dies. Henry receives her letter and tearfully reads it. While he is deeply upset, Anne smirks upon hearing the news, seeing it as her becoming Queen. Moments before her death, Catherine hallucinates that she is visited by her daughter, Mary. Meanwhile, Mary clutches a box of her mother's things, and cries, devastated by her mother's death. The court is unaffected by Catherine's demise despite the popularity she endured as Queen. This episode marks the last live appearance of Catherine. She appears again, but as a ghost in a dream sequence in the fourth season, most likely created from Henry's guilt. Catherine's season two appearances occur from 1532—1536. Strangely, she dies the same year that Anne is executed, only months before. Season 4 Catherine has a brief appearance in the final episode of the series, in the fourth season. She appears to reprimand Henry, who is plagued by guilt over his treatment of his wives and their children. Mary also appears in the sequence with her mother. Quotes *"If I had to choose between extreme happiness and extreme sorrow, I would always choose sorrow, for when you are happy, you forget about spiritual things, you forget about God. But in your sorrow, He is always with you." *"Sir I beseech you. For all the love that has been between us. Let me have justice and right. Give me some pity and compassion for I am a poor woman and a stranger born out of your dominion. I have no friend here, and little counsel. I plea to you as head of justice in this realm. I call God and all the world to witness that I have been to you a true humble and obedient wife ever compliant to your will and pleasure. I have loved all those whom you have loved for your sake whether or not I had cause. Whether they be friends or enemies. By me you have had many children. Although it has pleased God to call them from this world. But when you had me at first,I take God as my judge, I was a true maid without a touch of man. And whether or not it be true, I put it to your conscience." *"I was still your wife in God's eyes and still am." Physical Appearance GW356H201-1-.jpg GW352H198-1-.jpg GW327H184-1-.jpg GW337H471-1-.jpg GW296H344-1-.jpg Catherine has long black hair, an olive complexion and eyes of a green and blue colour. She stands at 5"6 in the series. She is said to have been attractive in her youth. In 1519, Francis I reportedly said that Henry was "''young and handsome" and that Catherine was "old and deformed". Catherine, however, was in fact under five foot in height and overweight. At 51, Catherine was most likely not as attractive as she might have been at a younger age, especially after repeated childbirth, six times. Personality Catherine was a compassionate, religious and loving person. She adored her husband and daughter above all things, and was charming, gracious, intelligent and stubborn. She refused to abide by Henry's wishes when it came time for their divorce, and had little respect for Anne Boleyn, who, viewed by some, had stolen Catherine's husband. Devoted to her family, her inability to give Henry a son was ultimately what caused him to tire of her. Relationships Henry Tudor Henry was Catherine's second husband, and the love of her life. The two had a loving, caring relationship until their marriage went sour when Henry was taken with the beautiful Anne Boleyn. Catherine loved Henry deeply, and her unwavering affection for Henry was where her stubborn side arose when she refused to divorce him. In the first season, Catherine stated she would put Henry's life before hers. Catherine became somewhat of an unwanted nuisance in Henry's life after he began a relationship with Anne Boleyn. As the series progressed, Henry became crueller to Catherine, banning her from seeing their daughter and isolating her, banishing her from court. Despite their seemingly happy marriage at first, Henry often womanized and slept with many other women. His wife was distraught to discover that he had gotten Bessie Blount pregnant, and many more infidelities followed. Mary Tudor Mary was Catherine's daughter. Catherine was deeply devoted to Mary above all things, with the exception of her husband.